Chapter 249 July 21st, 2032 | Pain Ball

Around two hundred ex-special forces soldiers squared off against a thousand Immortals, each wearing a paintball helmet and wielding the Sky's Breath technique.

Most soldiers and Immortals chose not to voluntarily shoot each other with [real fucking guns] wearing nothing but Soul Qi-reinforced paintball masks as protection.

Those who did were motivated by the rewards, especially the 10 RP participation award. However, they were regretting it as the time drew near.

Both sides were equally nervous as they stared at each other. While the soldiers were confident with weapons, they were up against raw numbers. After all, they couldn't dodge a hail of bullets.

"Brad, what is the point of this exercise?" Kaze asked the blonde-haired athlete, holding a pistol confidently.

"I believe it's to learn how to overcome skill with numbers." Brad replied loudly.

"Cor-rect." The emperor said, "We have recently won a battle against the Sky Plane cultivators. One day they may seek revenge."

A nervous silence met his words, each person feeling anxiety welling in their hearts.

"And like the last time, we'll win!" He roared, breaking people out of their mental prisons.

After Larkin let out a battle cry, the place exploded in war fervor.

"We won last time despite you all being far lower in Realm and experience than they were." Kaze smiled pridefully, "Next time, we will meet them at their level.

The only thing that will separate you will be your experience. So here you have it—numbers against experience."

Excitement spread through the Immortals, feeling more confident and proud than before.

Everyone was still afraid to play paintball with real guns, but they were too proud to back down.

"Let's talk about the rules and how it represents our training to win." Kaze announced, "In our scenario, the cultivators know where the Immortals are but not vice versa.

For that reason, cultivators will get five minutes to move their ammo to a hidden location within a mile radius. They must stay there until the match begins but then can spread out.

Immortals represent our people living on this mountain. They will stay put until they see a cultivator, and then they are free to roam."

The Immortals felt an icy chill crawl down their spine when they realized they were in an open field while the cultivators were hidden behind trees. It was a game-changer.

"Ammo represents Qi." The emperor continued, "Since it's difficult to cultivate on a battlefield, each person can only take one clip at a time and must reload at their base's center.

However, Qi is a ubiquitous resource. Therefore, no team can destroy or steal the ammo from the other person's team."

The soldiers smirked when they heard the rule, staring at the Immortals like seasonal cattle.

"War continues until everyone submits or is forced to." Kaze said in conclusion, "So the battle will continue until that happens, or the influx portal closes in three hours.

If no one submits in three hours, the most damaged party will lose. While my viewpoint is subjective, the decision will be fair.

That's all. You may begin!"

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-

The Immortals stood around a field, cautiously watching for the special forces soldiers stalking through the forest. They could come from anywhere, and they were sitting ducks.

"I-It's unfair that they can attack when we're not moving or expecting it." A blonde stuttered.

"You bet your ass it is!" Rein snapped in annoyance, "But you're gonna get pelted if you don't shut up and look for them. At least you know they're coming and where they're coming from."

The blonde gulped nervously. "B-But—"

Ratatatat! Ratatatat! Ratatatat!

"GAHhHHhhHhhhHhhhHhhHh!"

A dozen Immortals got pelted with bullets, sending splatters of blood flying. Everyone froze until they confirmed every bleeding person was groaning and not dead.

"What!? They have SMGs!?"

"How's that fair!"

"R-RUN! AGHhhHhhh!"

Dozens of Immortals followed, dropping like flies as real bullets pelted them in the chest, dropping them to their knees. Everyone was bleeding and groaning.

It suddenly didn't feel like a [game].

"Everyone's alive—we'll heal them later!" Rein yelled, cutting off the panic, "Now fan out! Full speed—make it impossible for them to aim!"

She demonstrated, running at thirty miles an hour across the battlefield, leaving a dirt storm.

Steve ran up to the short-haired brunette, whispered in her ear, and then ran into the forest away from the action.

"Fuckin' idiot." Rein scoffed, giving an involuntary smile after, "Hear me, cultivators! Duck unless you want to die! Three… two… one…."

She waved her hand after, and an arc of Qi 50 feet across cut across the battlefield and felled the trees.

BOOM, Boom, boom, BOOM, boom, BOOM, BOOM!

"GahhHHhHHhhHhhHHH!"

Dozens of soldiers screamed as trees fell on them.

It was a shocking event, opening up the line of sight for the Immortals and giving them hope.

Kaze smiled with a strange glint in his eyes, "I guess I'm starting early."

"Is that even legal!?"

"I don't think it is!"

"Where's Kaze!?"

"You can't hit a person with an offensive technique—that doesn't mean you cannot use them!" Kaze announced with a magnified voice, cutting across the battlefield, "This is how you win a war!"

Immortals exploded into cheers, calling out Rein's name until—

Ratatat! Ratatat!

Rein stood blushing until she saw a hailstorm of bullets coming at her. She jumped, but three still nailed her in the leg. "AGahhHHhHHhH!"

The soldiers aiming during their clarification smirked derisively, glad that they got revenge on the surprise tactic.

"That's also how you win a war!" Kaze laughed, checking on the soldiers. He wanted to ensure that none of them were dying or wanted to bow out.

"E-Emperor…." A soldier said, pinned under a tree, "Help... me."

"Since your health isn't in danger, you can choose between two options." Kaze announced, "You can wait until your people help and heal you, or have me do it.

If you choose the latter, I will remove that tree and heal you to full health. However, you'll make it harder for your team to win, and you won't get the RP.

Remember that it won't be a [game] in the future. Think about your comrades first."

"I-I…." The male soldier swallowed nervously. He had a broken leg and was shaking in pain—he didn't see it as a [game].

However, he was afraid to disappoint his emperor and comrades, representing a battle against the cultivators. Moreover, he'd be giving up an extravagant reward he'd get for simply suffering for a few hours.

"I-I'm okay." He nodded with a trembling voice.

"Good man." Kaze smiled, patting the man's head, using a strange technique that alleviated the pain and calmed him, "That's how you win a war."

"I-I want out…." A brunette moaned, her body pelted with half a dozen bleeding wounds from an SMG, "I thought you said they wouldn't bleed…."

"I said no such thing." Kaze smiled, walking up to her, "Larkin just survived three in a row because he's better at cultivating. Do you see the value now?"

"I-I do…." She gulped.

Kaze smiled gently and waved his hand, making all her wounds instantly disappear.

The moment she healed, her eyes filled with shame. She looked up to say something to the emperor, but he was already gone.

Meanwhile, the battle raged around them.

Click! Click!

"FUCK!"

Ratatat!

"GahHhhHhhHhH!"

"If you don't know how to shoot a gun, get behind me!" Sammy, the dark-haired cheerleader that held the apocalypse party, yelled, "We'll be the reserve!"

"You hear that!?" Brad yelled, "If you can't shoot a gun, move to Sammy! You're just wasting ammo and getting shot by the snipers during the reload."

As people ran back to the center to reload, special-forces snipers dropped them like shooting fish in a barrel. It was brutal to watch.

"As you can see you're both equally powerful!" The emperor roared, casually dodging bullets as he walked across the battlefield, "However, training and experience make all the difference!

Now I'm here to heal people. Does anyone wish to leave without giving your team a chance to heal you? If you wait, you will—"

Kaze stopped speaking and turned, waving his hand. Bullets coming in their direction disappeared into thin air.

A male soldier panicked, seeing who it was he was shooting at. "I'm sorry, Em—GahhHHhHHhHhhH!"

"Do not attack without knowing the power of the person you're attacking—this was your first lesson!" The emperor roared, making the bullet-pelted man wince on the ground in pain, "There are always consequences to such vacuity! Now continue on."

"Y-Yes sir…." He groaned on the ground, trying to get up. However, he realized that Kaze had opened the warp gate right next to a pressure point and found it impossible to stand.

It was a harrowing discovery.

An immortal brunette ran up with her pistol and panicked when she saw the soldier's tactical gear.

"Wa-Wa-Wai—GAH!" He groaned as the panicked brunette lifted her pistol execution style and shot him in the collarbone. It was horrifying to watch.

Kaze walked up to the man with a lukewarm smile. "You'll be at limited mobility for another five minutes. Would you like me to heal you and bring you out of the battlefield?"

"Hell no." The soldier grinned fearlessly, "I'd rather die than almost shoot you and then wuss out."

"Excellent answer." The emperor chuckled, waving his hand and healing the pressure point, "For that, I'm removing your penalty. Only that, and nothing more."

…

"What should we do?" Brad asked in a panic, "We're getting flayed alive!"

"I'm not sure, but there must be a way." Rein replied, gritting her teeth, "Kaze doesn't waste our time just by proving something is impossible.

"Qi scarcity." A voice called out quickly before running away.

The short brunette's eyes widened, and she darted through the forest and grabbed hold of the shady man who spoke. "Get back here!"

Brad smiled when he saw her dragging a lazy Asian man back to them, groaning that he was getting forced into the battle. "Sup, Steve?"

"Sup, Brad." Steve groaned, "I'm not sure if you know this, but it's 2032, and good deeds are still punished. It's on a 20,000 year mean streak."

"Shut the fuck up, Steve." Rein scoffed, "Hundreds have gotten injured or bowed out because we don't understand the key to victory—but you do and you're playing games with it. Now speak!"

"Whoa, lady. Don't act like I'm the reason that everyone's toasted—that's inexperience if you didn't get the memo." He scoffed in annoyance, making her frown, "Besides, it's not that complicated."

As Steve gave his explanation, the fifty people in the area chuckled in bewilderment. In a few uncomplicated sentences, the situation from bleak to a near-guaranteed victory.